


No One Is Ever Truly Gone.

by thevwchu



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:15:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21877228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thevwchu/pseuds/thevwchu
Summary: Although I appreciate JJ's artistic ideas of how Reylo ends, there was not enough description between our favourite star crossed lovers.Rey and Ben deserve quality time together after they have reached union, and I endeavor to elaborate on the original script of The Rise of Skywalker.I currently cannot find the fandom for TROS, hence I have not been able to tag appropriately.If you have NOT seen TROS, please click off to avoid spoilers. You have been warned.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Skywalker, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 13
Kudos: 29





	1. Victory

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shipthingweird](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shipthingweird/gifts).



She felt them flicker out of existence- a rumbling hoard collapsing under the heap of rubble that once stood proud pillars of the sith. The shreks tore into her head, and she shuddered as she felt them clawing at the force, desperate to escape judgement. She held her ground, arms locked in place, blades held in a cross. 

She did it. 

She felt it go. 

The dark side.

  
The hold it had over the sith, her grandfather, and her. 

She felt its icy grip shatter as the remembrance of pain and anger dissipated into the universe, slithering off to find another target to latch onto. 

But for now, all is still. 

Darkness rises, and Light to meet it. 

Only a fool would think darkness is banished forever, and Rey is no fool. 

She glanced down at her blades, the twin skywalker sabers held steadfast in her grip. 

_ How did I get here? _ She thought. 

Once she had wanted to know all the answers to her questions, yet now she finally realised the statement ignorance is bliss.

  
  


As silence replaced the bellows of the sith, she let the blades slide to the ground, fingers twitching as they clanged to the ground. 

All of this was too much. The force. Her family. The war. 

Ben. 

The force held its breath as her thoughts settled on him. 

_ Where are you? _ She thought, her mind searching as she reached out towards him. 

She had become so accustomed to his mind gently brushing against hers; he was always standing in the shadows, allowing her autonomy, yet forever watchful and protective over her. She always swatted him away whenever his protective streak shone through, but she knew deep down she loved it. She did not realise how uncomfortable she would be in his absence, and it terrified her. 

Panic engulfed her as she desperately searched for him, yet fatigue won as she felt herself pitching forwards onto the ground. 

_ Where are you... _

As her thoughts lingered in the force, she felt a curtain fall over her conscience. 

The last thing she remembered as her eyes fluttered closed was a gloved hand, held out towards her in a proposal. 

If only he took that damn glove off. Now she’ll never know what would happen if he did. 

++++++++++++++


	2. The ascent from darkness.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The emotional and physical struggle Ben Solo endured for his love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A snapshot into Ben Solo's final journey. 
> 
> As a community, please all remember to show love and respect towards each other regardless of differing opinions. The world is a difficult enough place, we don't need to tear ourselves apart in our alternate universe of Star Wars.
> 
> Wishing everyone Happy Holidays, and hope you enjoy this little snippet. xxx

He flinched as pain shot through his hip. He really was sick and tired of being flung around. Snook did it plenty of times, cackling as he left him to suffer in pain; or as he puts it- to feel and harness the dark side. 

How funny how quickly perspectives can change. 

  
Once he would have embraced the pain, hone into it, use it to drive his anger. 

Now, he reached to still his mind as pain attempted to overpower his existence. 

That was when he felt the chilling stillness. 

Not just from the sith, or from Palpatine. But from Rey. 

_“NO!”_ He screamed, as agony sets into his already knowing heart.

His heart wept as his soul felt her loss.

He had always felt her existence since her birth- a gentle tug constantly in the back of his mind. Even when he didn’t know better at the time, she had always been his comfort and salvation. Every time he felt rejection, pain, desperation, he had felt her reaching through the darkness and surrounding him with light. “You’re not alone.” He’d felt her whisper; a fleeting glimpse of beauty and hope before she retreated back behind the curtain of darkness. 

He had felt her pain when her parents left her, stranded in the harshlands of Jakku. _“Come back!!”_ She’d screamed. Pain stabbed through her heart, again and again and again, and he felt the force place a vise around his own as her sobs overwhelmed them both. 

He had recognised her when they told her about the girl, who stole a freighter and took the droid. He still remembered his shock as he regarded her still form, froze in midair as he examined her in Takodana. He had rejoiced in her presence, basked in the glory of their bond as they slayed Snook together. 

  
She had once slammed the door in his face, severing the bond between them, and cutting through his fragile heart. 

It had hurt. More than he would admit. Yet that paled in comparison to the feeling of silence.

For now, all was still. He knew logically that she is part of the force, that she cannot simply disappear; yet there was that lacking, and he felt unhinged by it all. 

Stumbling to his feet, he winced and grunted as his bad leg gave up under his weight, pulling a haze of agonising pain over his conscience. 

_“Ben, no one is ever really gone.”_ Came the whisper. 

He looked up at the still image of his grandfather, the proud jedi smiling down at him. 

“But she has so much more to give to this world!” He sobbed, a single tear rolled silently down his cheek. 

Kneeling next to him, Anakin brushed away the tear from his grandson’s face. 

_“She has. And you can finish what I couldn’t for Padme.”_ Winking at him, he placed a hand over his heart. _“You know what to do.”_

Stifling a sob, Ben nodded as his grandfather disappeared into the force. 

Pulling himself up, he breathed through the pain as he commenced the steady upward climb. 

The slippery rocks resisted his grip, and gravity threatened to drag him back under.

Yet climbed on he did, determined not to be deterred. 

One push there, one pull here, one grunt through the pain.

He pictured her eyes, full of passion and light as he continued the long ascent back to the throne room. 

“I’ll come back, sweetheart. I promise.” 

+++++++++++++++

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anakin and Padme were the tragic star crossed lovers that I fell head over heels for as a child. And as an adult, I had the pleasure of doing the same all over again for Ben and Rey. 
> 
> This story is dedicated to the star crossed lovers who we all wished had a happily ever after before fate twisted the pure and beautiful heart Anakin had for his love and world. 
> 
> Ani, you're boy Ben did you proud.


	3. Bardo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time we get some Jedi Master advice from our original favoruites.

She wasn’t sure what woke her up.

Darkness had engulfed her mind as her weary soul curled into herself, attempting to shield her away from the world. 

But then, the insistent tapping on her foot was really starting to annoy her, and she kicked away from the intrusion, her hands attempting to pull the blanket over her head. 

That’s when she realised there was no blanket. 

Bolting upright, Rey smacked her head directly into a solid wall.

“Owwwww!” She winced, and found herself falling back onto her back. 

“Hm… curious this is, very curious!” Came a murmur, followed by a chorus of agreeing voices from the background. 

Shielding her eyes with a hand, Rey cracked open an eye to see a myriad of faces staring down at her. 

  
“Where am I?” She asked, gingerly rubbing at her pounding forehead. 

“Part of the force, you are, yet not completely, as of now.”

Rey peered up the outline of a green creature, who seemed to be perched on the back of Luke Skywalker. 

  
“Master Skywalker? I’m not sure I understand what is going on.”

Smiling at her reassuringly, Luke appeared to remain at a distance from her. “We don’t either Rey, this isn’t something that happens often. What we know is that you must make the decision.” 

“The decision? What decision?” She muttered, and flinched back when she almost whacked her head on the barely visible wall again. Startled by the shimmering divide, Rey gently laid her hand on the wall, retracting slightly as the hum of the force sent electric charges down her arm. 

“Between life and death, you are in. Decision you must, for your future to be.” Came the answer. A set of wise eyes settled on her face, large ears lifting gently in emphasis of the statement. 

“But I am dead aren’t I? Palpatine drained me and Ben…” Flinching backwards, Rey swung her head backwards. “BEN! Where are you Ben?” 

“He’s waiting for you Rey, if you so wish to return to the land of the living.” Luke gently mentioned, “But only one of you can remain there.” 

“Why can’t we both be together?!” Rey exclaimed. “I’ve only just got him back! There is so much we have yet to experience together, things to say to each other, this isn’t fair…” She trailed off as the creature on Luke’s back hopped off gently and onto the ground.” 

“Fair, life is not young Rey. Missions, given we are when born, complete we must to bring balance to the force.” 

“Master Yoda… Did you have to be so harsh?” Luke sighed in exacerbation. 

“Young Rey, balance you have established with Ben Solo indeed, yet fulfilled your destiny you have not. Teach the future the force you need, but without Ben Solo you cannot. He who has risen from the dark, through you completes his ascendance must.” 

Rey looked down at her hands, trying to process the messages she was given. “So only one of us can remain in the world of the living?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Darth Sidious drained you both too much, and your remaining life force was used to defeat him.” Kneeling down, Luke looked into the young woman’s tearful eyes. “The choice is yours- you can stay here and wait for Ben to join you, or you can choose to go back and teach the next generation the way of the force.” 

“But, what about Ben? He’s always been so alone…” 

“Judgement, young Solo must face. Sins, from his past must answer.” Yoda grunted as he shuffled over to Rey. “Alone, he will not be. Accept him, we already have. Abandon, he will not.” Tapping the wall with his stick, Yoda chuckled as Rey peered up at him, “Dyad, you and he, connected forever this life or the next. Run you may try, but divide cannot last.” 

“We are all part of the force, as is Ben. You only need to feel the earth, smell the scents, hear the birds to know that we are with you.” Luke smiled, as he picked Yoda back up on his shoulder. 

“I just… I just want to be with him. He’s my home, and I simply want to be with him. Surely that’s not much to ask for?” Rey sobbed, rubbing at her tear streaked face.

  
“Of course we understand, and we’ll try and make sure you get enough time with Ben before time is up. Rey, the force is with you, always- never forget that.” 

The flickering walls light up around her, and the two Jedi masters winked out of sight. 

+++++++++++++++++++

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I voiced out our desperation through Rey here. Hope this chapter gives you a chance to live out part of your frustrations.


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